Across the centuries Berlin has been many things to many people and today, more than ever before it is a bustling, modern, sophisticated venue that offers something for everyone. Lining the list of opportunities are the arts, history, excellent dining and shopping, with the icing on the cake being the hospitality Berliners extend to all who visit their beautiful city.

On the list of “must stops” is the Brandenburg Gate.  Built circa 1790, the Gate is the symbol of Berlin itself.  Designed after the Acropolis in Athens, six massive columns support an almost 35 foot deep beam that divides the gate into five passageways.  During the Cold War the Gate became the symbol of Berlin’s division, for it was located in no man’s land.  Grand and stately, today the Brandenburg Gate is closed to cars, buses and taxis so visitors on foot can enjoy the beauty of the Pariser Platz and other areas that surround this historical landmark. 

A favorite place to visit is Checkpoint Charlie which after the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 was the only point of entry/exit between East and West Germany until 1989.  The Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie (located at Friedrichstr. 43-45) tells the story of the Berlin Wall.  The longest preserved section of the Wall (1316 meters) is called the Eastside Gallery, which is adorned with famous pictures like Brotherly Kiss, New York and Fatherland, all painted by well know spray artists.   

The original Potsdamer Platz (Potsdam Place) was a lively square and crossroads during the first part of the 20th Century and a major junction in Europe.  Bombed to rubble during WWII, the square remained an empty wasteland, with the Wall running through it during the Cold War. Following the “fall of the wall” this square became the biggest building site in all of Europe.  Today the Potsdamer Platz features stunning contemporary architecture and is home to upscale hotels, restaurants, shops, apartments, theaters, casinos and office buildings, and is where Sony’s European operations is headquartered.

For a most unusual and very sensual experience in dining, Berlin’s expanding restaurant scene includes two trendy eateries where patrons enjoy dining in total darkness.    Nocti Vagus serves three and four course dinners while its patron listen to meditative music or audio-plays.  Restaurant Unsichtbar (“Invisible”), located in what was once a brick factory, treat their guests to a heightened sense of taste, touch, hearing and smell while serving entrées’ of seafood, lamb, game, poultry and vegetarian fare. 

Much fascination is made of the variete theaters of the Roaring Twenties, with their combination theatrical, artistic and musical art forms that were derived from British music hall tradition and the Paris café culture of the late 19th Century.  Today Berlin’s Wintergarten   continues in that same tradition, featuring comedians, jugglers, dancers, trapeze artists and live music below a midnight blue ceiling, precious wood furnishings, shiny brass, glimmering mirrors and dark red velvet.  Every evening as many as five hundred guests come to enjoy their variety/dinner show.  

Once infamous, today the very collectible East German built Trabant car (or Trabi) can be used to tour and enjoy the “Wild East”, or what was called East Berlin when Germany was divided.  Offered by Trabi Safari, a tour of the Wild East also get you a turn behind the wheel of a Trabi while you stay in contact with your tour guide via hand held radios.  An interesting side note is that for those few East Germans (circa the ‘70’s and ‘80’s) who could afford the East German Trabant, the waiting list was ten years before the customer could take delivery.  And yes, they had to pay the full price up-front when the order for the car was placed. 

With its stunning glass dome, the Reichstag and

the German parliament building is a visual extravaganza.  The lines to get in can be long for there is no admission.  However, a clever way around this is to

reserve a table at the Dachgartenrestaurant (roof garden restaurant) which allows you to bypass the lines at the entrance. The restaurant’s terrace offers some of the best views of Berlin as well immediate access to the Reichstag’s glass dome  

 Visiting Berlin also means you can go to the beach, that’s right “go to the beach.”   Tons of white sand (imported from the Baltic) has been used to create ten very trendy beach bars.  While enjoying a favorite beverage and live music, you also have an excellent view of the Reichstag.  Among the most popular of the beach bars are the Bundespressestrand; Strandbar Mitte; Beach Bar Berlin and the Oststrand.  Happy Traveling!